Key insurgent leaders announce surprise halt to southern violence

BANGKOK, July 17 (TNA) - Groups conducting the four-year-old insurgency in Thailand's deep South have pledged to stop the violence in the Muslim-majority region from noon Thursday, according to a pre-recorded tape broadcast on Bangkok's Army Channel 5 television station at noon Thursday.
The so-called Thailand United Southern Underground group announced on Thai national television that it would stop violence in Thai southern provinces and support peace.
Retired Army Gen. Chetta Thanajaro, leader of the Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana political party announced earlier that he will give a press conference at 2pm Thursday afternoon giving further details.
Gen. Chetta, a former defence minister, said the plan by insurgent groups to cease the violence which has occurred on an almost on a daily basis since January 2004 came after several rounds of "unofficial negotiations" aimed at ending the unrest, mainly in the three troubled southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
Whether the situation in the region would improve after a pledge by the insurgent groups must be seen in what actually happens, he said, adding that no conditions were given for the stop to the violence.
"There's no political hidden agenda behind the plan," Gen. Chetta said. "I will take the responsibility. This is considered a good sign and I'm confident the situation would improve compared to before."
However, he said he would not guarantee that no violence would erupt in future.
Over 3,500 people have died in the ongoing violence since January 2004.